Regulating device for centrifugal cream-separators.



P. L. KIMBALL. REGULATING DEVICE FOR CENTRIFUGAL CREAM SEPARATORS;

APPLICATION nun APR.21.191I.

1,232,568, Patented July 10, 191?.

PEBLEY L. KIMBALL, OF BELLOWS FALLS, VERMONT, ASSIGNOR TO THE VERMONT FARE/I MIAGHINE COMPANY, OF BELLOWS FALLS, VERMONT, A CORPORATION OF VEBIVIONT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 10, 191?.

Application filed April 21, 1917. Serial No. 163,688.

Be it known that I, PICRLEY L. KIMBALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bellows Falls, in the county of lVindham and State of Vermont, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Regulating Devices for Centrifugal (h'eamSepa rators, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to provide a cream cone, so-called, of a centrifugal cream separator ot the cone or disk variety of liner or skimmer, with a simple and conveniently operated adjustable device for regulating the density of the cream.

The invention consists of? a. cream cone having a neck in the upper portion of which is a circular or annular flange, projecting inwardly into the neck and arranged transversely thereof, and having a single notch or opening arranged radially thereof, and an eccentric ring supported upon this flange and held in place thereon in any suitable manner, as by closing down or spinning over the edge of the neck upon the ring, said ring being capable of adjustment on the flange so as to bring any portion of its thickness opposite the notch or opening in the flange to thereby increase or diminish the effective area of the notch or opening and thereby control the volume of cream escaping through it, as I will proceed now to explain and finally claim.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a top plan view showing the eccentric ring in full lines in position to insure the greatest area of opening in the notch or opening in the flange, and also showing in dotted lines the eccentric ring adjusted to diminish the area. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on a larger scale, showing the eccentric ring adjusted for full opening. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the eccentric ring detached. Fig. i is a top plan view of the neck showing he eccentric ring turned a quarter turn relatively to the full line posi tion of Fi 1, and Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the eccentric ring turned suiiiciently far to practically close the notch or opening. Fig. 6 is a plan view, and Fig. 7 is a side view of a convenient form of wrench for use in turning the eccentric ring.

The cream cone 1., may be of any usual or approved construction, and provided with a cylindrical neck 2. In the upper end oi this neck is a circular or ai'mular flange 3, proecting horizontally inward and rigidly secured to the neck, and this flange is provided with a radial notch or opening 4 of substantially the full diameter of the neck, or, in other words, the full width of the flange and of any suitable length. On this flange is mounted an eccentric ring 5, preferably made of bronze or other non-corrosive metal different from the metal of the neck and of the flange, if desired, so as to prevent its sticking and to insure its ready movability on the neck. As shown, the eccentricity of this ring is in its interior, its periphery being concentric so as to flt within the cylindrical neck 2, and consequently the radial width or thickness of the ring varies inside; and attention is especially directed to the fact that this eccentric ring is solid, that is to say, it is not split or divided. This eccentric ring has its narrowest portion of about the thickness of the metal. of the flange, so that when the thinnest portion of the ring is arranged opposite the notch or opening of the flange, as in full lines Fig. 1, said notch or opening will have substantially its entire area exposed for the discharge of the cream. The ring may be secured in position on the flange in any suitable way, preferably by spinning or otherwise closing down the upper edge 6 of the neck upon it, as shown in detail in Fig. 2.

For convenience, an indicator, such as a pin 7, may be placed on the neck in line with the notch or opening, so as to insure the proper assembling of the cream cone with relation to the other parts of the separator bowl.

The eccentric ring may be turned on the flange in order to vary the eiiective area of the notch or opening in the flange by any suitable means. and as one such means have herein shown a wrench 8 having a finger 9 to engage a notch 10 in the top of the ring and fingers 11 to frictionally engage the vertical walls of the eccentric ring, so that by turning the wrench when its finger 9 is engaged with the notch 10 and its fingers 11 engaged with the vertical walls of the ring, said ring may have any portion of its thickness brought into opposition to the notch or opening in the flange and thereby affect the effective area of said notch or opening. Fig. 1 shows in full lines the ring arranged so as to get the full effective area of the notch or opening, and that view also shows in dotted lines the ring given a partial turn to diminish such area, and Fig.4: shows the ring turned a quarter turn to further diminish such effective area. Fig. 5 shows the ring turned sufliciently far to practically close the notch or opening. In this way and by the means described, the slightest rotation of the eccentric ring changes the density of the cream, and hence any adjustment may be made according to need after the richness of the cream is de termined rather than by some predetermined mechanical position of the cream outlet.

Further, by the construction shown there is no leakage from any cause. That part of the neck of the cone which surrounds the ring is solid with the annular flange upon which the ring rests, and the neck of the cone is closed down over the outer edge of the ring by spinning, by preference, thereby insuring a tight join As will be observed, there are no openings in either the eccentric ring or in the neck for the passage of the cream, but instead of the usual lateral openings for this purpose, I provide a single vertical opening, the area of which is controlled by a solid imperforate eccentric ring.

Variations in details of construction and arrangement of parts are permissible within the invention as herein claimed.

lVhat I claim is l. A cream cone, having a neck provided at its upper portion with a fixed internal flange having a radial notch or opening, and a solid ring having an eccentric interior presenting varying radial widths or thicknesses and mounted upon said flange and adapted to be turnedto present any portion of its varying width or thickness opposite the notch or opening in the flange, thereby to regulate the cream discharge.

2. In a cream cone for centrifugal cream separators, an annular flange arranged in the upper end of the neck of the cone and having a notch or opening therein of substantially its full radial width, a solid or undivided ring having an eccentric interior and arranged upon said flange and adapted to be turned so as to present different portions of its varying thickness next to said notch or opening so as to vary the effective area of said notch or opening, said neck closed down upon the upper edge of said ring'to' hold it in adjusted position.

3. In a cream cone for centrifugal cream sel'iarators, an annular flange arranged in the upper end of the neck of the cone and having a notch or opening therein of substantially its full radial Width, a solid or undivided eccentric ring mounted upon the said flange and adjustable thereon with relation to the notch or opening, and means to hold the ring in position over the flange.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of April A. D. 1917.

PERLEY L. KIMBALL. Witnesses:

M. J. PIKE, J. S. LANGWILL;

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

